Optimization of media parameters for adverse operating conditions

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer readable media for storing data on a rotatable storage medium. A hard drive having a rotatable storage medium is configured with different environmental tolerance characteristics for different sides of the rotatable storage medium. A first side is configured to have a higher tolerance to environmental factors such as shock and temperature by modifying features of the first side of the media and the read/write mechanism configured to interact with the first side. A second side of the storage medium is configured with lower environmental tolerances, thus allowing for higher performance. This configuration enables the hard drive to perform at a higher level of performance when facing less adverse environmental conditions while still remaining functional when facing more adverse environmental conditions.

1. A method of writing for a hard drive, the hard drive having a rotatable storage medium, the rotatable storage medium having a first side and a second side, the hard drive having superior tolerances for adverse environmental conditions when writing to the first side as compared to the second side, the method comprising:
 detecting whether an environmental condition exceeds a threshold tolerance; and 
 writing to the first side of the rotatable storage medium when the environmental condition exceeds the threshold tolerance so as to utilize the superior environmental tolerances when writing to the first side as compared to the second side. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising writing to the second side of the rotatable storage medium when the environmental condition does not exceed the threshold tolerance. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition comprises a low temperature and the threshold amount comprises a minimum temperature. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition comprises a magnitude of external shocks and the threshold amount comprises a maximum magnitude of external shocks. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition comprises a frequency of external shocks and the threshold amount comprises a maximum frequency of external shocks. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the rotatable storage medium includes a lower media coercivity than the second side. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the rotatable storage medium includes a lower data density than the second side. 
   
   
     8. A method for configuring a storage device including a rotatable storage medium, the method comprising:
 configuring a first side of the rotatable storage medium with a first tolerance for adverse environmental conditions; and 
 configuring a second side of the rotatable storage medium with a second tolerance for adverse environmental conditions, wherein the first tolerance is superior to the second tolerance. 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the adverse environmental conditions include temperatures below a threshold amount. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the adverse environmental conditions include a shock magnitude above a maximum amount. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein configuring the first side of the storage medium includes configuring a read/write mechanism associated with the first side. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein configuring the second side of the storage medium comprises configuring a read/write mechanism associated with the second side. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising configuring the storage device to:
 detect whether an environmental condition exceeds a threshold tolerance; and 
 write to the first side of the rotatable storage medium when the environmental condition exceeds the threshold tolerance. 
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein configuring the first side comprises configuring the first side with a lower media coercivity than the second side. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 8 , wherein configuring the first side comprises configuring the first side with a lower data density than the second side. 
   
   
     16. A rotatable storage medium comprising:
 a first side having a first set of configurations configured to enable writing to the first side with a higher tolerance to adverse environmental conditions; and 
 a second side having a second set of configurations configured to enable writing to the second side of the storage medium with a lower tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. 
 
   
   
     17. The rotatable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first side of the rotatable storage medium includes a lower media coercivity than the second side. 
   
   
     18. The rotatable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first side of the rotatable storage medium includes a lower data density than the second side. 
   
   
     19. The rotatable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the adverse environmental conditions comprise temperatures below a threshold amount. 
   
   
     20. The rotatable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the adverse environmental conditions comprise shocks having a magnitude above a threshold amount. 
   
   
     21. The rotatable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the adverse environmental conditions comprise shocks having a frequency above a threshold amount. 
   
   
     22. The rotatable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first side of the rotatable storage medium includes a lower media coercivity than the second side, thus enabling a higher tolerance for adverse temperatures. 
   
   
     23. The rotatable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first side of the rotatable storage medium includes a lower data density than the second side, thus enabling a higher tolerance for adverse temperatures. 
   
   
     24. A control system for a hard drive having a rotatable storage medium, the rotatable storage medium having a first side and a second side, the hard drive having superior tolerances for adverse environmental conditions when writing to the first side, the control system comprising:
 a detection system configured to detect whether an environmental condition exceeds a threshold tolerance; and 
 a selection system configured to direct the hard drive to write to the first side of the rotatable storage medium when the environmental condition exceeds the threshold tolerance so as to utilize the superior environmental tolerances when writing to the first side as compared to the second side.